County selects, prioritizes two projects for submission

During its regular meeting Tuesday, the Polk County Commissioners Court discussed and took action to select two prioritized projects for submission to the Texas General Land Office Local Communities Program for disaster recovery in conjunction with the 2024 flooding event.

Through the program, $97 million has been earmarked for communities affected by the straight line winds that occurred in April 2025 and Hurricane Beryl in July 2025. Polk County is eligible to submit up to two projects for submission. If application is successful, the county could potentially receive anywhere from $500,000 up to $5M, but would be required to make a 5% match.

Scoring is geared toward projects that would have the greatest benefit for the number of residents directly impacted, specifically residents with low to moderate income. Following discussion of some of the areas that are in need, the Court approved Indian Springs as the first priority and Holiday Lakes as the second priority, with the 5% match being funded from the respective commissioner’s budget.

In other business, the Court approved Change Order 01 with Texas Materials regarding Contract No. 24-065-044-E536 through the General Land Office Community Development Block Grant Regional Mitigation. The change order will add work on county roads in Precincts 1 and 3, including Drew’s Landing, Ellis Grimes, El Camino and the One Such area and is needed to provide further hardening against erosion and improve safety treatment of drainage structures, as well as increase structural strength of the county roads. It will include concrete headwalls, guard railing with safety end treatments, rock riprap and increasing the limestone base from six inches to eight inches in high traffic areas.

Fiscal year 2026 budget revisions and amendments, as presented by the county auditor’s office, were approved.

During the portion of the meeting reserved for informational reports, the Court will issued proclamations recognizing March as American Red Cross Month and April as Fair Housing Month in Polk County. Everyone was also reminded of the upcoming tire and large item collection event scheduled for March 14 at the Polk County Commerce Center.

Items on the consent agenda included:

• Approval of the schedules of bills;
• Approval of an order designating surplus property;
• Receiving and recording personnel action forms submitted by elected officials since the last meeting;
• Approval of a resolution to perform specified equivalent-match projects in return for waiver of the local match fund participation requirement on the approved federal off-system bridge program, as provided by the Texas Department of Transportation, for the replacement of the bridge located on W Caney Loop at Caney Creek;
• Approval of a revised agreement with Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas for fire protection services; and
• Approval of a request from 4-H for Sam Houston Electric Cooperative overhead easement at the Polk County 4-H shooting facility.

Sean Ferry of Pine Forest Baptist Church opened the meeting with prayer.